Today is the National Day of Prayer in the U.S., and I want to share with you the importance of prayer in our ministry.

I felt wildly unworthy to write on this topic, so I sought wisdom from Eleanor. She is our Prayer Ministry Manager.

At first I thought I would share with you some of her insights, but I think I will keep it simple and share with you an example of the power of prayer.

Every day in our contact center, we speak with sponsors who are going through difficult times. When we receive a prayer request, we send it to Eleanor and she compiles a weekly brochure.

This brochure is passed out to every employee at chapel on Wednesdays and we take time to pray through the prayer requests listed.

On May 2, 2001, we prayed for Cindy’s* 16-year-old daughter, who had run away from home. We asked for God to protect her and lead her back to her family.

Ten years later, Eleanor received this letter from Cindy:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

It’s been many years since I received this amazing letter from you. It so overwhelmed me to know there were others out there praying for my daughter when all I was able to put before Him were tears and an occasional ‘Jesus, help us. Jesus, be with her.’

From that I have a framed verse on my desk: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep (Psalm 127:1-2).”

The letter continues:

I know it was such a small thing compared to the parents whose child had bone cancer and needed to have his leg amputated, or the lady whose husband had died, but the moment we discovered our child was gone is a realization I’ll never forget.

We must live with the fact that she so badly wanted to get away from her life here. Once, the police called to let us know she’d been picked up for hitchhiking and scolded us for being bad parents. We also had to listen to what other ‘Christians’ said to us. Ouch.”

But God is good, and He answers our prayers.

My daughter and her husband now live in California and she made me a first-time Gramma last year. Although her husband told her to ‘get rid of it’ when he heard she was pregnant, she kept the baby.

She told me that she loves God and is through making mistakes. She is now taking very difficult university classes and is excelling with a 95 percent average. More importantly, we are a family again. Thank you and love to you for your prayers.”

How has the power of prayer changed your life?

*Cindy’s name was changed to protect her identity

LINK UP: If you write a post about the National Day of Prayer or about the importance of prayer in your life, please link up with us so we can all benefit. Thanks.

Just writing to ask for some prayers today … as we just found out that the baby I am carrying no longer has a heart beat … we are crushed … clinging to Jesus … could use prayer cover as we move forward.

Aloha Heather, I will pray that you receive the “peace that surpasses all understanding” that will help you all to deal with this devastating news. It is so hard sometimes to understand why things happen they way they do, we can only do what you are doing, cling to Jesus and ask Him to help us get through our trials. We may never understand the “whys” but that isn’t important, what is important is to know that our God, our Lord and our Savior will never forsake us and is with us in everything that happens to us. I lift you and your family up to the Father.

I could definitely use some prayer as tomorrow is my last day with a job. Being single, and an adult with bills to pay, this is very scary. Since I found out I wouldn’t have a job 30 days ago I have been saying God is going to provide. And I do believe that, but I also think it helps so much knowing others are praying for me.

Also, one of my very good friends miscarried this week with their first child. She is very upset. She could definitely use the prayer.

This seems to be a good day for prayer, I have already prayed for my State of Hawaii, which is very liberal and definitely not pro-life in the legislature, but I have also prayed for this country to return to the principles our nation was founded upon. I also had to pray for a friend whose daughter is in a hospital and not expected to live after she jumped out of a moving car before her mother could stop her. This is an adult child, but that does not make it any easier. Therefore, I am blessed to be able to pray for you as well Rebekah, that just like you are believing, God will provide. Continue to believe in His plans for you and continue to trust in Him completely, especially at this very difficult time for you. God bless you always in the name of Jesus.